Lopes sweep weekend, move to 9-2 at home

Friday, February 28

Phoenix, Ariz.

9 a.m.

Grand Canyon

Illinois State

Photo by: Brayden Stenner

3/2/2025 11:42:00 AM | Men's Tennis

Box Score 1 Box Score 2 Photo Gallery

GCU shuts out Illinois State 4-0 on Friday, beats Saint Mary's 4-2 on Sunday

Grand Canyon won a pair of home matches on the weekend, defeating Illinois State 4-0 on Friday and Saint Mary's 4-2 on Sunday at GCU Tennis Facility.

With four home matches still on the horizon, the Lopes moved to 9-2 on the home courts. GCU — ranked No. 61 nationally in the Intercollegiate Tennis Association rankings — pushed past its 2012 team for most home wins in a season since the program was reinstated in 2009.

Lopes make quick work of Illinois State

GCU picked up its first win of the weekend in a prompt 4-0 shutout of Illinois State on Friday morning at GCU Tennis Facility.

The Lopes clinched the doubles point with wins on Courts 1 and 3. Graduate Matteo Lugari and freshman Finbar McGarvey claimed the third court 6-2 as the duo improved to 3-0 when playing together. Playing together for just the second time, sophomore Brice Patoux and senior Jonathan Da Silva won the top doubles court 6-4.

From there, GCU needed just three singles wins to clinch the match. The Lopes got it from Courts 6, 5 and 2 to wrap up their eighth victory of the season.

On the sixth, freshman Diordan Macababbad improved to 6-1 on the year by winning 6-2 and 6-4 for the first singles point. Da Silva followed on Court 5 with a 6-2, 6-2 win. The clincher came from Patoux on the second court with a 6-4, 6-2 win.

GCU dropped the first sets on the three unfinished courts but all three were mounting second-set bounce-backs before the match was clinched.

GCU completes weekend sweep with win over Saint Mary's

The Lopes were back in action on Sunday afternoon to host a Saint Mary's squad that was coming off its first win of the season. GCU dropped the doubles point but rallied to take the match 4-2.

Macababbad played the role of match-clincher on Court 6, persevering through a hard-fought battle to narrowly win 7-6, 7-6 and improve to 7-1 on the season.

Da Silva was in the process of providing insurance for GCU on Court 5, as he was staked to a 4-0 lead in a tiebreaking third set.

GCU took care of business with two-set singles victories on three of the top four courts.

Patoux posted the most dominant singles win on the day, taking care of his opponent 6-2, 6-1 to get GCU on the scoreboard.

Sophomore Nikita Volonski and McGarvey were also dominant in wins on Court 1 (6-3, 6-2) and Court 4 (6-0, 6-4), paving the way for Macababbad's win to clinch.

GCU is headed to UC Irvine for its second road match of the season, taking on the Anteaters on Saturday at 1 p.m. (Phoenix time).